Car-coupling.



No. 796,495. PATENTD AUG. 8, 1905. A. CAIRNS.

GAR GOUPLING.'

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 28, 1904.

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No. 796,495. PATBNTED AUG. 8, 1905.

, A. GAIRNS.

CAR COUPLING. APPLIGATION H LED Nov. za. 1904.

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ALEXANDER CAIRNS, OF'CHICAGC, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, ,1905.

Application rled November 28.1904. Serial No. 234,472.

To a/ZZ whom, t puny concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CAIRNS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in car-couplings, andmore particularly in that class of such devices wherein the knuckle isprovided with a dog or latch movable for engagement with a locking lugor shoulder within the coupler-head; and the object of the invention isto provide a coupling of this general character of a simple andinexpensive nature and of a compact, strong, and durable constructionwhich shall not be liable to become readily deranged or broken duringuse and wherein is provided improved and simple means for insuring themovement of the dog or latch into locked position when the knuckle ispivotally moved in thev coupling operation.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction andcombinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improvedcar-coupling whereby certain important advantages are attained and theoperation of the locking latch or dog is rendered more certain andpositive and whereby the device is rende red simpler, cheaper, andotherwise better adapted and more convenient for use. all as will behereinafter fully set forth.

Thenovel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention,Figure l is a transverse section taken horizontally through thecoupler-head in the plane of the pivotal axis of the locking dog orlatch, the extremity of said dog or latch, together with the cam andsupporting-ledge of the coupler-head, which are adapted for engagementtherewith, being, however, seen in plan. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectiontaken transversely through the coupler-head in the plane indicated bythe line c fo in Fig. 1 and showing the locking dog or latch in lockedposition. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig.2,butshowing the locking dog or latch in raised or unlocked position. Fig.4 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but showing theknuckle thrown in opened position, the locking latch or dog being ofcourse also in a similar position. Fig. is a view showing a fragment ofthe rear wall of the coupler-head for illustrating the form of theguide-slot wherein is received the locking-pin of the dog or latch, andFig. is a sectional detail View taken verticall y through thelocking-arm of the knuckle and the latch engaged therewith and showingthe arrangement of the locking-lug upon said latch. Fig. 7 is afragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modifiedform of the means for assuring the operation of the locking-latch whenthe knuckle is moved pivotally into closed position; and Fig. 8 is avertical section taken through the coupler-head in the plane shown byline y y in Fig. 7 and illustrating said modified construction. Fig. 9is a sectional detail View taken transversely through the locking-arm ofthe knuckle and the latch carried thereby and showing a modified form ofsaid latch. Y

As shown in the views, 1 indicates the coupler-head, and 2 indicates theshank, while 3 is the pivot pin or bolt whereon is held for pivotalmovement in the ordinary way the knuckle 4, having a rearwardly-directedlocking-arm 5, which traverses the cavity of the coupler-head when theknuckle is moved into open or closed position and is provided with abore or passage 6, extended in it at right angles to the direction ofthe pivot pin or bolt 3 and with an end open at the rear end of saidlocking-arm 5 of the knuckle.

8 represents a cylindrical stud produced upon and forwardly extendedfrom one end of the locking latch or dog 9 and adapted to be receivedfor pivotal and endwise-sliding movement within the bore or opening 6 ofthe locking-arm 5 of the knuckle, the diameter of said pivot stud orprojection 8 being suicient to produce a snug lit yat its forwardextremity when the stud or projection is pushed home in the bore 6, asshown in Fig. l. The rear open end of the bore 6 is, however, laterallyenlarged or made elliptical, as shown at 7 on the drawings, so that whenthe stud or projection is pushed entirely within said bore, as shown inFig. 1, a certain extent of lateral movement of the dog or latch withrelation to the locking-arm 5 of the knuckle is still permitted forpurposes to be hereinafter explained. The dog or latch 9 has upon itsfront face and adjacent to the stud or projection 8 a shoulder, as shownat 9, which is adapted for engagement upon the rear end of thelocking-arm 5 of the knuckle to limit the inserting movement of the studor projection 8 within the bore 6 of the said locking-arm.

The dog or latch 9 is horizontally extended from the locking-arm 5 ofthe knuckle and plane, whereby its free end may be moved into and out oflocking position, and said free end of the dog or latch is provided withan eye 10 for connection with a chain 11, which is extended upwardthrough an opening 12 in the top of the coupler-head and has three draftconnections-a central connection 13, which may extend to the car-roof,and two opposite lateral connections 14 14, which may be extended toopposite sides of the car, so that draft may be exerted on the chain 11from either of these situations for lifting the latch or dog 9 out oflocked position to release the knuckle in uncoupling.

15 indicates a 'supporting ledge or table integral with the coupler-headand extended in its cavity in a horizontal plane along the wall oppositeto which the knuckle is pivoted, and the function of said ledge or tableis to support the free end of the dog or latch when elevated in itsunlocked position during the movement of the knuckle in opening andclosing its jaw, and the opening' 12 in the top of the coupler-head isso arranged as to stand in a plane on the side of the eye 10 of thelatch or dog opposite to its pivot-stud 8, so that when draft is exertedon chain 11 to lift the dog or latch into unlocked position such draftwill also be in a direction adapted to draw the free end of the dog orlatch laterally to an extent suiicient to engage it upon the ledge ortable 15, so that in the further operation of the parts said dog orlatch may be held against accidentally falling into locked position.

16 indicates a lug integral on the back wall of the coupler-headadjacent to the end of the ledge or table 15, and said lug 16 isprovided with a locking-recess 17, in which is adapted to be receivedthe free end of the latch or dog 9 when the same is slipped off the endof the supporting ledge or table 15 and drops into locked position, asshown in Fig. 2, and said recess 17 is provided with a surface 18, whichis made in a plane substantially concentric with the pivotal axis of thelocking dog or latch and forms a bearing on which the end surface ofsaid dog or latch is engaged to permit of resisting strains imposed bythe draft upon the knuckle, which tend to throw the same open. Theshoulder or bearing 18 is, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, substantiallyinhorizontal alinement with the pivotal axis of the latch or dog 9, sothat draft upon the knuckle is not permitted to throw the dogI or latchupwardly.

At the upper part of the bearing 18 the lug 16 has an overhanginglocking shoulder or projection 19, the lower or under surface of whichis beveled and the upper surface of which is flush with and forms theextremity of the supporting ledge or table 15, and upon the extremity ofthe locking dog or latch 9 is produced an inclined surface 20,corresponding with and adapted to fit flush upon the inclined lowersurface of. said locking projection 19 when the dog or latch is loweredinto locking position, as shown in Fig. 2, in such a way as to securelyhold the dog or latch from being elevated and unlocked, especially whendraft is exerted upon the knuckle.

Above the supporting ledge or table 15 is a cam 21, also integral on thewall of the coupler-head and adapted for engagement on the end of thelocking dog or latch 9 to force the stud or projection 8 home in thebore of the knuckle-arm 5 when the knuckle is closed, the arrangement ofchain 11 serving to draw said stud 8 rearward in the reverse directionas the knuckle 'is opened.

22 indicates a locking-lug integral upon and projecting laterally fromthe upper part of the dog or latch 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, saidlocking-lug being so located that when the dog is raised in its unlockedposition, as shown in Fig. 3, said lug 22 is adapted when the knuckle isswung into closed position in the coupling operation to strike upon thewall of the coupler-head at the side at 4which the knuckle is pivoted insuch a way as to impart to the latch or dog a certain extent of movementpivotally relative to the lockingarm of the knuckle. In this pivotalmovement of the dog or latch the stud or projection 8 turns in the boreor passage 6 of the locking-arm of thel knuckle.

The several parts of the device, including the knuckle and itslocking-arm and the bore thereof and the dog or latch and its stud 8 andlocking-lug 22, are so proportioned that when the knuckle is swung intoclosed position its locking-arm 5 will strike upon the wall of thecoupler-head in advance of the contact of the locking-lug 22 of the dogor latch with said wall; but the impetus imparted to the dog or latch,due to the connection of said dog or latch with the locking-arm of theknuckle, will be sufficient to cause the stud or projection 8 of the dogor latch to play laterally in the enlarged portion 7 of the bore 6 inthe knuckle-arm until the locking-lug 22 shall have come into Contactwith the wall of the coupler-head.

By reason of the lateral movement of the dog or latch afforded, as abovedescribed, by the enlargement of the bore in the knucklearm and whereinthe stud or projection of the dog or latch is engaged it will be evidentthat the free locking end of the latch will be moved laterally withinthe hollow of the coupler-head in a direction toward the left-hand sideof the device as the parts are illustrated in Fig. 3, and in this way itwill be evident that at the time the locking-lug` 22 is caused tocontact with the wall of the coupler-head the said free end of the dogor latch will have been moved past the locking projection 19 at the endof the supporting ledge or table 15,

whereby when pivotal movement is imparted to the latch or dog, as abovedescribed, and upon contact of the locking lug 22 with the wall of thecoupler-head the free end of the dog, being no longer supportedby theledge ortable 15,` will be positively and forcibly impelled downward, sothat thc dog or latch will assume the locked position shown in Fig. 2,with its free end engaged in thcrecess 17 beneath the overhanginglocking projection 19.

23 indicates a slot horizontally produced in the rear wall of thecoupler-head and adapted for engagement with a pin or projection 24,rearwardly extended from the latch or dog '9 adjacent to its pivot-pointand adapted as the knuckle is moved to play lengthwise of said slot, andin the under side of saidslot at the point whereat pin or projection24.1. stands when the parts are locked is produced a camnotch 25, inwhich the pin or projection is adapted to be received at such times.

In the operation of the coupler when the knuckle is swung into closedposition in the coupling operation its closing movement will of coursecontinue until its locking-arm 5 is brought into engagement with thewall of the coupler-head at the side at which the knuckle is pivoted, atwhich time the free end of the latch 9 will pass the locking projection19 and be in position to fall by Agravity into engagement inthelocking-recess 17. At thev sanne time the lug 22 on the upper part ofthe latch or dog will contact with said side wall of the coupler-head,so as to move said latch or dog pivotally and positively impel or movethe free end thereof downward into said recess 1&7, whereby it will beapparent that the parts will be locked, the strain upon the knucklebeing sufficient to hold the free end of the dog or latch securelyengaged beneath the bev.- eled under surface of said locking projection19, whereby while such strain is present the latch cannot be elevated orunlocked.

The pin 24 and the slot 23 with cam-notch 25, wherein said pin isengaged, vform an auxiliary latch-operating means, which is also adaptedin the closing of the knuckle to move the free end of the latch downwardinto locked position. In the 'operation of this auxiliary means whentheknuckle is swung Vclosed the pin 24: will drop into cam-notch 25 as thelocking-arm 5 arrives at its locking position; but in the impact of thecoupling operation the knuckle will be swung far enough, as abovedescribed, to engage its arm 5 upon the wall of the coupler-head, sothat the pin 24 will be caused to ride up after entering thecam-notcl1,and thereby pivotal movement will be imparted to the latch,so that the free end thereofl will be swung downward and engaged in thelocking-recess 17.

In uncoupling draft applied to the chain 11 will elevate the free end oflatch 9, the locking-arm 5 of the knuckle being meanwhile swungover farenough toward the wall ofthe head at lwhich said knuckle is pivoted topermit such elevation of the dog and the direction in which the-draft isapplied by chain 11 being such that when the latch is elevated its freeend will at once be drawn over far enough to permit it to pass theprojection 19 and rest upon the ledge or table 15. as shown in Fig. 3.

rI`he play afforded by the lateral enlargement ofthe mouth 7 of the borein the knucklearm 5 insures suiicient movement of the latch or dogrelative to said arm 5 to permit the secure engagement of the free endof latch 9 upon the ledge 15 as soon as the latch is elevated. A

. From the above description it will be apparent that the improvedcoupling constructed according tot my'invention is of an extremelysimple and inexpensive nature and is especially well adapted for use notonly' on account of the absence of complicated mechanism or delicateparts liable to become readily broken or deranged from the rough usageto which such devices are subjected, but also by reason of the certaintyof the operation of the locking means and the security with which theyare prevented from being unlocked during such times as draft is exertedupon the knuckle. The dog or latch 9 would tend to fall by gravity intolocked position even were the actuating means for positively throwingitdownward not provided; but in order .to assure certainty of itsactuation it is preferable to employ such operating means. The chain 11will also by preference have a measured length within the cavity of thecoupler-head, and its connection with the draft connections 13 and 14 14will produce thereon an enlargement tol limit the length of said chainwhichV is permitted to enter the coupler-head. It will also beobviousfrom the above description that the improved coupling constructedaccording toA my. invention is capable of some modification withoutmaterial departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, andfor this reason I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself to theprecise form and arrangement of the several parts of the device hereins'et forth in carrying out my invention in practice. For example, inFigs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modified arrangement of the means fordepressing the free end of the dog or latch 9 into locked position. Inthis form of the device the free end of the latch has a pin orprojection 26 upon its rear side, which when said latch passes over theend of ledge or table 15 comes into engagement with adownwardly-inclined cam 27 upon the rear wall of the coupler-head, andthereby serves to press said end of the latch down into engagement withthe locking-notch 17. In this form of the device thefree end of thelatch stands when locked in a plane below its pivotal center.

In Fig. 9 I have shown another modified arrangement wherein in lieu offorming the bore 6 of the knuckle-arm 5 with a laterally-enlarged mouthportion I have made the stud 8 tapered, its portion 8 adjacent to latch9 being of reduced diameter to permit the lateral play of said stud inthe bore 6 essential for assured holding of the latch in raised positionwhen unlocked.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on the head and provided with a pivoted latch in saidrecess and a locking-shoulder overhanging the locking-recess at the sideopposite to which the knuckle is pivoted.

2. In a car-coupling, the combinationof a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on' the head and provided with a pivoted latch adaptedJor engagement with said recess and a locking-shoulder overhanging thelocking-recess at the side opposite to which the knuckle is pivoted andhaving an inclined under surface to be engaged by the free end of thelatch.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on the head and provided with a pivoted latch adaptedfor engagement in said recess, a locking-shoulder overhanging thelockingrecess at the side opposite to which the knuckle is pivoted andhaving an inclined under surface to be engaged by the free end of thelatch and a chain having a measured length within the coupler-head andhaving connection with the free end of the latch for elevating the same.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on the head and provided with a pivoted latch forengagement in said recess, a lockingshoulder overhanging saidlocking-recess at the side opposite to which the knuckle is pivoted, aledge or table having an end adjacent to said shoulder and adapted tosupport the -latch when raised and means for elevating said latch.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on the head and provided with a pivoted latch adaptedfor engagement in said recess, a locking-shoulder overhanging thelocking-recess at the side opposite to which the knuckle is pivoted, aledge or table having an end adjacent to said shoulder and adapted forsupporting the latch when raised and a chain connected with the free endof the latch and eX- tended in the coupler-head in a direction upwardlyinclined from said free end of the latch toward the side of the headopposite to which the knuckle is pivoted.

6. In a car-coupling the combination oi' a head having a lockingprojection, aknuckle pivoted on the head and having a locking-arm totraverse the head, said arm having a longitudinal bore produced in it,and a latch having a stud pivotally held in the bore of said knuckle-armand having a free end engageable with said locking projection of thecoupler-head.

7. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a lockingprojection, a knuckle pivoted on the head and having a locking-arm totraverse the head, said arm having a longitudinal bore produced in itand a latch having a stud pivotally held in the bore of said knuckle-armand having a free end engageable upon said locking projection of thecouplerh'ead, said stud of the latch being adapted for lateral movementwithin the bore of the knuckle-arm.

8. In a car-coupling, lthe combination of a head having alocking-recess, a locking projection overhanging the said recess, aknuckle pivoted on the head and having a locking-arm to traverse thehead, said arm having a longitudinal bore produced in it, a latch havinga stud pivotally held in the bore of said knucklearm and adapted forlateral movement therein and having a free end engageable in saidlocking-recess beneath the locking projection of the coupler-head, meansfor raising the free end of the latch out of said locking-recess andmeans to hold said latch elevated when raised out of said recess.

9. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recess,a knuckle pivoted on the head and provided with a pivoted latch adaptedfor engagement in said recess, a locking-shoulder overhanging thelocking-recess at the side opposite to which the knuckle is pivoted,means for elevating the latch :to disengage it from said recess andmeans for moving the latch pivotall y to force its free end downwardinto said locking-recess.

10. In a car-cou pling, the combination of a head having alocking-recess, a locking-shoulder overhanging said recess, a knucklepivoted to the head and having an arm to traverse the same, a latchpivoted on the arm with a free end engageable in the locking-recessbelow the locking projection, means for raising the latch and a lugproduced on the latch for contact 'on the Wall of the couplerhead toforce said latch in engagement with the locking-recess.

11. In a car-coupling, the combination 0i' a head having alocking-recess, a locking projection overhanging the recess, a knucklehaving an arm traversing the head, a latch pivotally held on theknuckle-arm with a free end engageable in said recess below the lockingprojection, means for raising the latch and a pin on the latch, the rearwall of the couplerhead having a horizontal slot provided with acam-notch and adapted to receive said pin on the latch.

l2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a head having a locking-recessand provided with a supporting-ledge above said recess, a

knuckle having an arm traversing said head, a of two subscribingWitnesses, this 26th day of latch pivoted on the knuckle and adapted forNovember, 1904..

lateral movement relatively thereto, means w for raising the latch andmeans for moving ALEXANDER (-JAIRNS' said latch pivotally. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed CHAS. C. TILLMAN,

my name, at Chicago, Illinois, in the presence A. GUsTAFsoN.

